1
as in to lick
to strike repeatedly
she was badly roughed up by her boxing partner
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to abuse
to abuse physically
the photographer claimed that he had been roughed up by the actor's bodyguards outside the club
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rough (up)
Verb
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Being licked by the cows and licking them back is a daily occurrence for her.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
Newsweek,
13 Mar. 2025 -
Evy was holding an ice cream cone and lowered it so Kinley could lick it.—
Jordan Greene,
People.com,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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After killing the nun (Jennifer Ehle) who was her primary abuser within an entire system designed to abuse, Teonna went on the run.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
16 Mar. 2025
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For too long, credit card companies have abused working-class Americans with absurd interest rates, trapping them in an almost insurmountable amount of debt.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
Newsweek,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The ancient springhead, natural waterpark, and retro roadside attraction has more than a few secrets hidden in its eelgrass.—
Kelsey Glennon,
Southern Living,
22 Mar. 2025
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But all that family turmoil was hidden, and to most who knew him, Dr. Schwartz seemed to have a beautiful life until the evening of May 28, 2014, when Becky Schwartz came home and discovered her home in disarray.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
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When Jensen then decides to go long, Collins and Pinnock move towards the near post and Wissa adjusts his position to be able to attack the second ball.—
Mark Carey,
The Athletic,
13 Mar. 2025
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The separatists attacked the train carrying about 450 people Tuesday in a tunnel in a remote part of southwestern Balochistan province.—
Abdul Sattar and Munir Ahmed,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Schumer has taken a public pounding from his party's base, not to mention House Democrats, since voting to keep the government open last week.—
Stephen Neukam,
Axios,
19 Mar. 2025
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Southern California was being pounded by a major storm Thursday morning, bringing evacuation warnings and fears of mudslides.—
Shelby Grad,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Gunmen ambushed a Syrian police patrol in a coastal town Thursday, leaving at least 13 security members and 3 civilians dead and many others wounded, a monitoring group and a local official said.—
Compiled by Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports,
arkansasonline.com,
7 Mar. 2025
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Forbes is protected by reCAPTCHA, and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 1943 – The Battle of the Bismarck Sea A major air-sea battle during World War II, in which U.S. and Australian forces ambushed and decimated a Japanese convoy attempting to reinforce New Guinea.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025
Verb
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So Morris lashed out, sneaking out and breaking into homes, cars, and schools.—
Guthrie Scrimgeour,
Rolling Stone,
16 Mar. 2025
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When conflict arises — a toddler might have a tearful tantrum, or an older kid may shout or lash out — a ‘democratic parent’ should be mindful of the fact that there is likely a root cause of the difficult behavior.—
Miranda Rake,
Parents,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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That was clinched when the Sun Devils manhandled Iowa State in the Big 12 championship game.—
Tom Layberger,
Forbes,
6 Jan. 2025
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After manhandling the Atlanta Braves last year, the Washington Nationals earned the respect of the opposing manager.—
Dan Schlossberg,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Rough (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rough%20%28up%29. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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